Motor control and signal circuit



`July 16, 1940. J. o. AALBERG MOTOR CONTROL AND SIGNAL CIRCUIT Filed Sept. 24. 1937 Syvum/vbo@ Jofm Aa/efg TTOENE'Y lllkn Nan,

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NG. Q www WS @Y Patented July 16, 1940 PATENT OFFICE 2,208,404 MOTOR CONTROL AND SIGNAL CIRCUIT John 0. Aalberg, Los Angeles, Calif., assignor to Radio Keith Orpllemn Corporation, a corporation of Marylan Application September 24, 1937, Serial No. 185,524

9Claims.

This invention relates to a motion picture and sound recording system and particularly to a motor control circuit for regulating the starting voltage impressed upon the motors and to a sig- 5. naling circuit cooperating therewith and with other portions of the system to indicate the condition thereof.

i It is well known that motion picture cameras and sound recorders are driven at a predeter- 10 mined constant speed generally by the use of synchronous motors. In starting these motors it is particularly desirable that the acceleration be smooth and uniform to eliminate jerks or too rapid acceleration, which may possibly damage the film sprocket perforations or cause deleterious loops to form between the different driving elements. Smooth starting has been accomplished formerly by the manual variation of resistances usually employed in the power supply circuits.

'Ihe present invention eliminates this manual operation and makes the voltage variation automatic and dependent upon the characteristic of an electronic device.

In the use of suchautomatic starting controls it is desirable that the condition thereof be known before any considerable amount of film has been run through the picture and sound cameras. For instance, failure of the voltage control circuit may cause the motor to operate at an incorrect speed. This is a serious condition, since it isA well known that whereY .sound is being simultaneously recorded with the picture by separate machines, both the camera and recorder motors must-advance both negatives at the same linear 5 speed. 'As the conditioner a circuit is not detectable by general observation, the present invention provides an indicator for showing whether or not the voltage control portion of the system has operated properly.

In general motion picture practice as scones the picture negative and sound negative are running at the same linear speed, they are simultaneously marked in some manner to provide means for properly combining' the two records upon a. single iilm at a later time.. Several methods of. and means for accomplishing this synchronzing of picture negative and sound negative have been suggested, the method used in the present invention employing a lamp for fogging the picture negative simultaneously with the disturbing of the sound track by the noise reduction portion of the sound modulator.

As this system of marking involves the use of electrical elements, it is also subject to breakdown in the form of burnt out lamps or open circuits or failure of the power supply. The invention, therefore, is further directed to a signaling system which will. not only indicate that the voltage starting circuit is operating properly, but Yalso simultaneously indicate that the marking of 5 the negatives has been properly accomplished.

An object of the present invention, therefore, y is to start a synchronous moto'r with a predetermined acceleration.

Another object of the invention isto automati- 1o cally control the voltage upon a synchronous motor in accordance with a predetermined characteristic.

A further object of the invention is to control the impressed voltage upon a synchronous motor l5 by varying the reactance in the supply lines by saturation of the cores of the reactors.

A still further object of the invention is to vary the control voltage in accordance with the timecurrentjcharacteristic of a rectider which sup- 20 plies the saturation current to the cores of the reactance coils and to indicate that the saturation current is 'being applied. I

A still further object of the invention is generally to indicate the condition of the power supply and the control circuits of the system.

A still further object ot the invention is to automatically signal to those at a camera location that the proper voltage is being applied to the camera motor and that the synchronizing mark- 30 ing circuit has properly functioned.

' In the past, it was common to have a sound operator at. the camera, which was usually on a sound stage, and a sound operator at the recorder, which was usually at a distant point. These operators would signal back and forth to start the camera and recorder and then signalto each other when the camera and recorder were ready for a take. The present invention eliminates the services of the sound operator at the camera, since all that is now required is that the cameraman press 40 a switch button which starts the camera and also starts the sound recorder at the distant point. When this has been accomplished and suil'lcient -time has elapsed for the motors to reach their running speed, the sound operator at the recorder presses a switch which will operate a signal observable to and winch will indicate to the person in charge at the camera or to anyone that the motor control circuit is functioning properly and no failure occurred in the marking circuit.

Although the novel features which are believed to be characteristic of this invention will be pointed out with particularity in the claims appending herewith,y the manner of its organizadrawing forming a part thereof, in which the.

single gure is a schematic diagram of the motor control and signaling circuit of the invention embodied in a sound picture recording channel.

Referring now to the drawing, a motor generator 5 may be energized from any twoor threephase power system, the output of the vgenerator being any desired type of power such as threephase, 48 cycles at 220 volts. The motor generator is connected by the usual three-phase conductors to a switch relay 6 which controls the connection ofthe generator to a camera motor 1 of a cameras. Connected in the supply leads are re'- actors 9, I@ and II wound on thev end legs of iron cores 9', I and II', respectively. On the middle leg of each core and connected in series are Windings I2, I3 and lli, whichmay also be connected in parallel if desired. 'I'he relay 6 is energized over conductors I6 from a power supply as shown, the connection thereof being controlled by a switch I1 located at the camera.

Across one phase of the three-phase supply from generator 5 between the relay 6 and the reactors there is connected a rectiiier 20 by conductors 2|, this rectifier ,being any well known type having a sloping current-time thermal-inertia characteristic. That is, the outputcurrent of the rectier does not reach its full value immediately upon energization since it takes time for the cathode or cathodcs to becomeheated to their normal operating condition. The recti fier of the present invention is a full-wave rectifier employing two Rectigon S-289415-C tubes, although substantially all rectier tubes have some thermal-time delay. The output ,of the rectifier is connected in series with windings I2, I3 and I4 of the reactors 9, Ill and II and with a relaywinding 23. l

'The circuit 6, I6 and I1 also controls the start- `ng of a sound recorder motor 26 of a recorder 21 by the closing of contacts 28 of a relay 24, the latter being energized-from any Vphase of the supply energy for picture camera motor 1. The motor 26 maybe energizedby any suitable power sourcevas shown, or from the same source of power as camera motor 1, it being understood that a reactance' circuit similar to that shown for the camera motor 1 mayalso be used for the motor, 6.. 1

The operation of the reactor circuit for voltage control is' as follows: Upon closing of the switch' I1 at` the picture camera, the relay 6 connects the generator 5' to the camfra motor 1 through windings 9, I0 and II. Upon the closing of the contacts invrelay 6, the impedance of reactors 9,

Ill and' Il is at its highest value, due to the reluctance of theiron cores within the magnetic circuits formed by the windings. This produces a maximum voltage drop which may be designed to permit as much as a 50% reduction inl starting voltage. Simultaneously, however, with the starting voltage which permits the motor to start without excessive jerk and to then accelerate smoothly as the voltage builds up to the required fun-loadviue. During this period the recorder motor 26 hes\\been energized and is brought up to speed by\ the closing of contacts 28. Was

Referring now'to the markingircuit of the system, a: lamp 36 is shown in camera 8 which is placed at any convenient point for fogging the picture negative when the lamp 36 is energized. In series with thelamp 3l! is a relay winding 3i' and the secondary of a transformer 32. The primary of ytransformer 32 is connected to heater busses 34 which are energized from a convenient power supplyv as shown, the energization being controlled by a switch 36 located at the recorder 21. Within the recorder 21 is a light modulating system indicated at 36, this system being of any suitable type. The modulator is connected Ato the heater busses 34 through a transformer 38. The type of modulator used with the present invention employs a Vgalvanometer with biased noise reduction shutters, the closingof switch 35 removing the bias and thus placing a synchro- 'nizing mark on the sound negative simultaneously with the fogging of the picture negative by lamp 30. It is to be understood` that any connection to the light modulator 36 which disturbs it sufficiently to fog the lm will operate satisfactorily with the present invention.

Thus, to mark the lms when they have reached the same constant speed the switch 35 is closed by the recorder operator. 'Ihe closing -of the switch connects the power supply to the heater busses, which energizes the lamp 36 to mark the picture negative and simultaneously removes the bias fromthe shutters to mark the sound negative. In energizing the lamp 3B, the relay 3l is energized, thus closing contacts 48 thereof. When the required current value to Y.

properly saturate cores 9', I0 and II 'is passing through relay 23, it is energized, thus closingl contacts 49. A The closing of contacts 48 and 49V 6e: power supply, as shown, this circuit having an inenergizes a signal circuit from an approp dicator such as a bell 50 therein, the bell 50 beingY l located at the camera to indicate to those on the set -that everything is in readiness for a take.

It is to be noted thatshould'the rectier fail to provide the proper current through windings I2,` I3 and I4 to increase the' voltage on the motor 1 to its proper value or should the lamp 36 at the camera be burnt out or fail to function for other reasons, the bell 50 lwill fail to ring and thus it vis known that these two vitalportibns closing. ofthe contactsof relay 6, the rectifier 2l d 2 i is energized over con uctors I and the recti ghown for the 601mm circuit ofrelay s, the i l ner, following its thermalcharacteristic, begins Y particularly desirable starting characteristic is to saturate the cores 9',"I0 andII' of the reactors, thus smoothly ,anduniformly reducingv their reactance to a point where the voltage drop across them may be in the neighborhood .of 2% of the full-line voltage.` It isfthus seen that a of the system'are not in working order, and the apparatus may be stopped.` The signaling system, therefore, saves film in the picture camera, ulm in the sound-recorder and time of the actors and crew. Furthermore, thesound operator at the camera is eliminated, while the starting system eliminatesthemanual operation of voltage control. Although separate power supplies have been circuit and the heater busses, it is well understood `,that the. circuitsunay be connected toVY annonce i claim as my invention:

l. A recording system comprising a camera lor exposing a picture negative, a second camera tor exposing a sound negative. manually controlled means for simultaneously exposing a portion of each of said negatives, means for controlling the starting voltage on a motor of at least one of said cameras. and signaling means for indicating that the correct voltage is on said last-mentioned motor and that said manually controlled means has properly functioned to expose said picture negative simultaneously with said sound negative, said signaling means including a circuit energizable only during the simultaneous functioning of said voltage control means and said manually controlled means. I

2. A picture and sound system comprising a picture camera having a motor therefor, a sound recorder having a motor therefor, a voltage control circuit for controlling the starting voltage on at least one of said motors, means for simultaneously marking a negative in said picture camera and a negative in said sound recorder, an indicating device and means for indicating on said device, the complete and simultaneous functioning of said voltage control circuit and said marking circuit, said last-mentioned means including a series circuit interconnecting said voltage control circuit, said marking means and said indicating device.

3. A systemfor starting a plurality of camera motors at separated locations, a source o! power, means for connecting at least one of said motors to said source of power. means in said connection means for uniformly increasing the voltage onv said motor during acceleration.- means operated by said voltage control means when-running voltage is impressedon said motor, a swlch at one of vsaid cameras for starting all of said'motors,l

a switch at another of said cameras for cmtrolling the recording of the synchronization of said motors, means energized by the operation of said last-mentioned switch, and meansconnected to. said last-mentioned means and said voltage operated means `and operative only during the proper functioning of said last-mentioned means and said voltage operated means.

4. A system in accordance with claim 3 in which said last-mentioned means and said. voltagevoperated means comprise a series circuit and switches therein,`said switches being operative by energization of said voltage operated means and said last-mentioned means. f

5. A sound picture recordingl channel ccmprising apicturecamerahavingadrivingmotor.

asoundcamerahavingadrivingmotonavoltage,

control circuit for at least one of said motors. a relay in said voltage control circuit and energized thereby, means at said camerafor controlling the starting of both of said camera motors. a plurality ot means for simultaneously effecting the negatives in both of said cameras, means at said sound camera i'or controlling said plurality otmeans, a relayinsaid-neg'ative electing can sa) means, an indicating device, and means :tor connecting both of said relays and said indicating device in a common circuit, said indicating clevice being operative only during the simultaneous operation of Tooth oi sain relays. 5

6. A sound picture recording channel comprising a picture camera, a sound camera, means located at said picture camera for marking said picture negative lm, means located at said sound camera formarking said sound negative film, a circuit' adapted to be periodically energized for operating both of said marking means simultaneously during the running periods of said cameras, and means for indicating the successful operation of said marking means, said last-mentioned means including an independent normally open circuit which lis closed by the energization of said operating circuit for said marking means.

7. A sound picture recording channel comprising a picture camera. means for marking the negative within said picture camera, a sound camera,lmeans for aiecting the sound negative within said sound camera, a circuit adapted to be periodically energized for simultaneously operating both of said marking means during the running periods of said camera, a motor in said picture camera, meansffor energizing said camera motor, and means for indicating the successful operation of said picture negative marking means, said sound negative aifecting means during the proper energization of said camera motor, said last-mentioned means includingv an independent normally open circuit which is closed only when said marking means, said affecting means and said energization means have properly functioned simultaneously.

8. A sound picture recording channel comprising a camera, a motor for operating said camera. a sound camera, a motor for operating said sound camera, markingmeans for said picture camera. means for affecting the sound picture negative, a circuit adapted to be periodically energiled for simultaneously operating said camera marking means and said sound negative affecting means, and an independent, normally open indicator circuit, said indicator circuit being entailed only upon simultaneous energisation o! said picture camera marking means, said eoimd negativeaii'ectingmeansandatleastonectsaid motors.

9.Asound recording channel comprising a picture camera, a lamp within'said camera, a

sound camera, a sound recording modulator within said sound camera. a circuit interconnecting said lamp and said modulator for the energiash u tion thereof, means for energizing' said inter connecting circuit, an indicating device, a second circuitadapted to be controlled from saidinterconnecting circuit for operating said indicating device. and means interconnecting said circuits, .o

said indicating device operating only upon the complete and simultaneous energization of said first-mentioned circuit'.

JOHN o. AALBIRG. 

